Vagabond Editorials

(Continued from Page 6) know a lot of big mills that have done a lot of complaining for months past about the small mill competition that NRA codes have engendered; about the enormous number of small new competitors which the codes have undoubtedly incubated. There has been much grumbling, and some outward complaining. But when it came to the rub and it looked like price fixation might be done away with, they looked at the cornparatively small volume of lumber business being done, considered what might happen to prices with so small a volume to up-hold them, and lots of mill folks have changed their line of talk. They like present conditions until more volume has been created, at least. **

Looks to me like the lumber business is better the past two weeks. I think the remodeling phase of FHA--disappointing as it has been in its entirety-has had something to do with that. .In the South things have certainly improved. Conditions are srrch today that were price fixing lifted there are many items of staple Yellow Pine so short in stocks everywhere that they would undoubtedly go up if the string were cut. t*t

Everywhere there is a stirring.of the yeast in the lumber consciousness. In the past month I havb talked to a lot of people who are thinking seriously of getting into the building game, believing that when necessary building and repairing starts there is going to be a real scramble. There i"itt. No earthly doubt about it. *rk*

If we didn't erect a single new building we could use all the unemployed artisans and carpenters in the country and all the lumber the mills could turn out for the next two years doing nothing but the imperatively needed repairing to our homes and their surroundings.

Comfort yourself, you lumber folks, with THIS thought; that when this financial jam comes to an end there is going to be a building program in this country such as was never heard of before. ft is not going to be big buildings, but it will be homes, apartments, and other buildings of modest size and sort tha{ require lots of lumber to construct. Nothing can prevent this high tide of building. Every day it is postponed increases the pressure behind the building jam, and will make it the more pronounced when it breaks.

Every day the time comes nearer. Here we are today with our banks heaped high with money-lazy money that 'isn't working-and every day the cry for building and repairing, such as this money could easily finance, grows louder. The cry will not much longer go unheeded. rf:t*

* ,F *.

Sometimes I think that the continual hint of threatened inflation of our money, comes from headquarters at Washington. You see if inflation SHOULD come, about the least valuable thing on earth would be this money that the owners thereof are heaping high in banks, and the securities to which they are confining their investments. At the first hint of infation you would see the money-owners grabbing their cash and rushing to put it into so.mething real-something that might preserve a value.

So personally I enjoy these continual hints of inflation danger. We got scared INTO this doggoned depression; I hope something happens to scare us OUT of it again.

Halts U. S. Suit to Enjoin \T.shington Lumbermen

Federal Judge Edward E. Cushman, sitting in Seattle, on November t halted the government's suit attempting to enjoin seven Washington lumber companies from abandoning the minimum price provisions of the lumber code.'

Judge Cushman said he will not resume the hearing until he has studied the lumber code and defense attorney's briefs, which charge the price fixing provisions of the code are unconstitutional, discriminatory and unworkable. The judge's Seattle calendar has been closed until December 3, and he will notify the attorneys when the hearing rvill be resumed.

The court is also considering a petition presented by Raymond C. Wright and Mark Mathewson, Seattle attorneys representing the lumber companies, for the right to call more than 100 witnesses to support the contentions against the price fixing provision.

The case opened in the federal court, Tacoma, October 30.

Col. W.B. Greeley, secretary-manager of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, was the first witness called by the government, and government testimony was concluded November 2. The case was adjourned to November 6, and on that date Judge Cushman transferred it to Seattle, because of a criminal docket being heard in federal court in Tacoma.

Sitting in Seattle, November 7, Judge Cushman took under advisement a defense motion for dismissal of the government's action.

Clyde S. Owens

Clyde S. Owens, manager of the lumber department of the Whiting-Mead Co., Los Angeles, died very suddenly Monday night, \ovember 12, when he was stricken with a heart attack while playing bridge at the home of Perry Whiting, president of the ,company. He was 48 years of age, and was born at Long Beach. Mr. Owens was with the Whiting-Mead Co. for thirty years, trventy-six years of which he was with the lumber department.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Margaret Owens; two daughters, Margaret and Thelma; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Owens of Long Beach; and two sisters, Mrs. William Bishop of Bellflower and Mrs. Herbert Churchman of Costa Mesa

Funeral services were held at Los Angeles Thursday afternoon. November 15.

Mill Employees File Suit

A suit was filed in the U. S. District Court, Seattle, November 7, on behalf of 177 employees of the Stimson Mill Co., Ballard, Wash., to restrain the federal government and the lumber code administrator from punishing them for working more than 18 hours a week, since the Stimson mill is so situated it can dispose of its entire output at fair prices, and provide the personnel with 50 hours work a week at the regular wage scale.

Appointed Department Manager

"Andy" Campbell has been appointed manager of the sash and door and full mill bid department at the E. K. Wood Lumber Co. Los Angeles offi,ce. He has been connected with the company for many years.

Mr. Campbell succeeds Hollis J. Nunneley, who has gone to Chicago where he will represent the M and M Industries of Portland Ore.

S. F. LUMBERMEN VISIT SOUTHLAND

Carl Moore and R. O. Wilson, San Francisco, spent a few days in Los Angeles the early part of the month where they called on the lumber trade.

Spending Few Months In Southland

R .C. Mclntosh, western division manager of The Upson Company, with headquarters in Chicago, is taking a few months' rest at Tujunga, Calif. Mrs. Mclntosh accompanied him on the trip. Mr. Mclntosh is well known to the California lumber trade and was formerlv Pacific Coast manager for the company.